Are You Listening?

A family in Calgary, Alberta, Canada purchased a well trained and very expensive guard dog to protect their home and belongings. It brought them great peace and comfort and reduced their fears of someone invading their home.

One evening as the family gathered together to watch their favorite television program the dog began to bark. “Hush, Sarge,” said the father. But Sarge refused to stop barking and looked anxiously from one family member to another. They refused to be bothered as they watched the show. It was too entertaining.

Finally, the program was over and the father excused himself and went upstairs to go to bed. As he entered his bedroom, he realized that the dog had been trying to get their attention. A thief had carefully and quietly entered their home, opened their safe and stolen their most valuable possessions. The warning of the dog could not get their attention and alert them to danger.

“Today,” (or listen now) warned the Psalmist, “if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts!” Often God tries to “get our attention” to warn us of impending dangers. He does His best to speak to us through His Word or a friend, a verse of Scripture or a sermon. He reaches out to us in love and compassion - anxious to warn us of the attractiveness of sin, the power of temptation and the destruction that awaits us. But, like the family in Canada, we are so often too involved in the things of this world to hear His warning.

Prayer: Lord, open our ears to hear, our eyes to see, and make our hearts ready to respond to Your voice. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 95:7b & 8 Today, if you will hear His voice: “Do not harden your hearts,